Scrounging for projectiles

[Justin Urbantas]

So, I went out to the range and shot my match target earlier, then plinked around for a bit after.
It seems that someone had picked up a bunch of fired .356 copper jacketed bullets and left them on the bench.
Looking at them, I thought to myself " hmmmm I wonder"...
I was thinking about how ingenuity and adaptation ruled in times of hardship and scarcity, and wondered how they would shoot in my .45 flintlock.

I fired 3 shots with 40 grains of fffg, and the bullets loaded pointy end forward wrapped in 3 patches to make up the difference in bore size.
Accuracy was awful, with keyholing, and about a 14" group at 25 yards, as you can see in the picture with yellow circles.

Then  I wondered what would happen if I loaded them pointy end down.

I was amazed!!  I put 4 shots in about a 3" group at 25 yards, and they made fairly round holes with no keyholing.

If you used a bullet closer to bore size, you could probably get even better accuracy.

It's certainly sufficient accuracy to put meat on the table, or defend yourself in a survival situation. 
I want to try to up the charge and see what it can do at 50 next time.

[Bob McBride]

Canadian ingenuity, eh?

Fun stuff.

[Maven]

I'm not surprised about the success of your experiment, Justin.  I have found that a certain RCBS wadcutter (148gr. with sort of a button nose) shoots more accurately when seated backwards than forwards from 3 modern revolvers.  The only thing I have to do is size it to .35" for one of them, while the others like .359".

Now to get back to ML shooting, I intend to try my hand at the May 2020 target in the next week or so.

[Daryl]

Good luck, Paul!
About weird projectiles, a young fella with an Eye-Tie or Spanish long gun in cap-lock, back in 1973 was at the same range I happened to be shooting that day.  He was really excited
with his accuracy - and exclaimed to me, "Most people just through these things away, but I pick 'em up, take 'em home, file off the rims then fill them with sand, then plug the nose with wax.
They shoot really good."  He then showed me a 25 yard target he'd shot with his sand-filled .30/30's & low and behold, he'd hit the paper with 3 out of 5!  Yes - all keyholes, of course.
I've mentioned this story here before, in the same context.
Just goes to show, some people's idea about good shooting, is different than other people's idea of good shooting.

In Justin's experiment, I was surprised (somewhat) that the base-first bullets shot without keyholing, but then, what little spin then got from the rifling (too slow for their length & dia.),
along with the light-nose being at the back (ie: shuttle-cock effect) it makes perfect sense.

[Bob Roller]

I profess NO knowledge of "modern" muzzleloaders but I think there are
jacketed bullets wrapped in plastic for those who don't like the traditional
ways of loading.Also artificial powder as well 
 Bob Roller
 

[Maven]

Thanks, Daryl (I'm about to "construct" my target).

For Justin & Daryl, Several years ago I was looking to get a bit more accuracy from my C&B revolver (Remington, 1858, Euroarms, ca. 1977) and did a little searching of the Lee Precision site.  I came upon a mould designed for the .45 1911 and thought, if reversed, it would shoot OK (sort of like a rebated wadcutter).  Seating it backwards wasn't a problem, neither was its weight and "as cast" diameter, which was perfect.  Target accuracy @ 25 yd. rested was less than ideal, however, but it was worth trying and I wasn't out much $$.  (I've since sold the almost new mould.)  Home cast RB's, also from a Lee mould are a better choice for that revolver.

[recurve]

Ok this may not be ALR polite but here we go.... your patch is a type of sabot (yes like those evil in lines use there's are plastic) and as long as your "bullet " is not much longer than your round ball it should in theory work.  It's the length of a Bullet vs width that helps decides needed rifling twist.  another way to say it Short Fat ball/bullet slower like me /longer skinny faster twist ( like young people)

and yes sabot means shoe in French and some one long ago did try wood and other things with bullet to shoot.
and before you jump on me please tell me how Teflon patching is traditional

[EC121]

Many years ago I was at a match in Tannehill State Park in Alabama.  I saw some folks shooting a CVA Ky. rifle.  They would shoot and then look for a long time then shoot again.  Finally I saw a flash of copper as he loaded.  They were shooting jacketed .45 bullets with no patch!! The same shoot had a rope stretched down the side of the range to mark off the parking I guess.  When I left, there were cars lined up to the hillside backstop watching the shooting.